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Nashville Hot Shrimp Tacos

Nashville hot shrimp tacos with crispy fried shrimp and a fiery red spice coating get tucked into warm corn tortillas with cool pickles and creamy drizzling. This Southern-Mexican fusion taco stacks crunchy, spicy shrimp with coleslaw and cilantro for a fast weeknight build.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Southern-Mexican Fusion
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crispy fried shrimp
  • 1.5 lb large shrimp
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 8 corn tortillas 8-10 total
Toppings and drizzling
  • dill pickle slices
  • coleslaw
  • Nashville hot sauce mixed with mayo for drizzling
  • mayonnaise mixed with Nashville hot sauce for drizzling
  • cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the coating
  1. Mix the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a shallow bowl until evenly combined. Make sure the spice blend is uniform so every shrimp gets an even red coating.
Coat the shrimp
  1. Dip the beaten egg-coated shrimp, then coat thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture. Press lightly so the coating clings and forms a crisp layer when fried.
Fry until golden and crispy
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet to 350°F (about 1/2 inch deep). Fry shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy, then drain on paper towels to keep the crust crisp.
Warm tortillas and assemble tacos
  1. Warm the corn tortillas just until flexible, then fill them with the crispy fried shrimp. Work quickly so the tortillas stay warm and the coating remains crunchy.
Top and drizzle
  1. Top each taco with dill pickle slices and coleslaw, then drizzle with Nashville hot sauce mixed with mayo. Finish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately for maximum crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: Fry in small batches at a steady 350°F so the shrimp crisp up instead of steaming. Store cooked shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but re-crisp in a hot skillet or oven for best texture; freezing is not recommended for fried coatings. For a lighter option, use half cornstarch and substitute part of the flour with a gluten-free all-purpose blend if you need gluten-free tacos (texture may be slightly less crisp).